Polishing apparatus



Sept. 29, 1942. w. GEDUHN ETAL 7,

POLISHING APPARATUS A Filed March 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 9 d I Affinity Sept. 29, 1942.

W. GEDUHN ETAL POLISHING APPARATUS Filed March 16, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 29, 1942 2.291.209 rousnnve APPARATUS Walter Geduhn, Berlin-Steglitz, and Ludwig Petry, Berlin, Germany; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Application March 16, 1939, Serial No. 262,262 In Germany August 21, 1937 2 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for waxing and polishing surfaces of any kind and has particular reference to a floor polisher.

It is an object of the invention to avdid the drawbacks and inconveniences caused with the existing apparatus of the kind referred to in which the wax is applied to the floor in a dissolved form, allowed to dry for several hours and then polished.

Another object of.the invention is to provide means for polishing any surfaces quickly and efiiciently, with small labour and cost and simple apparatus.

' With these and other objects in view, as may become apparent from the within disclosures, the

invention consists not only in the structures within the scope of what hereinafter may be claimed. v

The character of the invention, however, may

be best understood by reference to certain of its I structural forms, as illustrated by the accompanying drawingsin which- Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an apparatus for use as a floor polisher, having the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the same apparatus, on the brush motor axis.

Figs. 4 and 5 are details of the device for holding the wax block, in a longitudinal section and in a front view, respectively.

Fig. 6 is a section of a modification, on line VI-VI of Fig. 8. d

Fig. 7 is a, section on line VII-VII of Fig. 8.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

Similar reference numerals denote similar parts in the different views.

Referring now to the drawings in greater de tail, and first to Figs. 1 to 5, it will be seen that brush rollers 2, 2', 2" are mounted for rotation in a main frame i of the machine. Roller wheels 3, 3' are also mounted for rotation and vertical sliding in the frame i, as indicated in dotted lines, and adapted to be lifted by a cam device 5 operated by rotation of a cam 5' on a hand lever A which to this end can be rotated and advantageously can be telescopically elongated and shortened, whereby thebrush rollers can be engaged with and disengaged from the surface 6 to be polished. A block 8 of hard wax is disposed in a holder 1 in the frame I and consists of a wax which does not contain any solvents or other ingredients for rendering it more plastic or pasty. I provide the said block I in an inclined position in the frame and with respect to the roller 2', in such a manner that its end surface engages the brush roller 2' at a point below a horizontal plane passing through the roller axis, whereby. the distance from said wax surface to the floor is very short. Rollers 9 may be provided to render the wax block easily movable in.

the casing II, with the only exception of they lower aperture towards the floor and a ring of closure brushes i3 is provided underneath the casing ll, whereby loss of wax is prevented. Moreover the brushes it serve to clean and polish the surfaces to be waxed. The brushes are driven by an electric motor indicated at it in Fig. 3. The exhausting and cooling fan l5 which is normally present in high speed motors is preferably so designed that it may be used as a vacuum cleaner. To this end, it is disposed in a separate chamber l6 having adjustable apertures II for the motor cooling. A further aperture or valve It serves for producing the stream of suction air for the vacuum cleaning action. Moreover, auxiliary devices for room cleaning may be connected at IS.

A preferred practical embodiment of our novel floor polisher is shown in Figs. 6 to 8. Only a single brush roller 20 for applying and polishing the wax is provided'in this case in a casing 26 and driven from a, motor 2| through a shaft 22 and worm gear 23. Mounted on the shaft 22 is a blower or fan wheel 24 which through the channel 25 effects the exhaust of dust. The apparatus is moved in the direction of the arrow, i. e., with the mouth piece of the channel 25 in front of the brush roller so that the vacuumrear side. A rod 32 passes through a lug 3| of 36 is provided with a bifurcated portion 3| piv-' oted to the motor casing 29 at ll. 39'. The exhaust pipe of the vacuum cleaner or cooling fan is sho n at 40.

It will be seen that also in this apparatus the Wax block 21 is positioned at an acute angle with respect to the floor, with its active surfaces below the horizontal plane passing through the brush axis.

Wherever in the specification and claims hard wax is mentioned, it is intended to define a 100% wax composition, and not a mixture of wax and dissolving oils containing perhaps only 50% wax. Particles of such hard wax, detached from a solid block of the wax in a brushing operation, are softened somewhat to a plastic state in which they may be effectively appliedto a surface to be polished due to heat resulting from friction between the block of wax and the brush by which the particles are detached from the block of wax. Where solvents are used, the softer wax mixture applied to a surface must be allowed to dry before polishing, whereas the hard wax applied in accordance with this invention may be and is polished immediately upon application.

It will thus be understood that a hard wax which is free from solvents or other admixtures of this kind will be rubbed into the floor surfaces in the form of a wax dust which in view of the frictional heat developed as it is scraped off from the block is still warm and plastic. The brushes are not smeared and therefore, are adapted immediately to rub the wax that thas been scraped off from the block into the-surfaces to be polished. Also, the wax is not scattered around,

due to the perfect enclosure of the brush roller and the provision of the closure brushes 21,

Fig. 7.

. 'Weare aware that many further changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and we, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than is necessitated by the prior art.

We claim:

1. In a polishing apparatus, in combination, a main frame, a rotary brush, means for rotating said brush and means including rollers for holding a block of hard wax in said frame in an acute angle with respect to the surface to be polished, with its front surface engaging said brush at a point below a horizontal plane passing through the brush axis, whereby a short travelling distance is obtained for the wax scraped off from the block by said brush and applied on the surface to be polished.

2. In a polishing apparatus, in combination, a main frame, a rotary brush, means for rotating said brush and means including a grate member for holding a block of hard wax in said frame in an acute angle with respect to the surface to be polished, with its front surface engaging said brush at a point below a horizontal plane passing throughthe brush axis. whereby a short travelling distance is obtained for the wax scraped off from the block by'said brush through said grate member and applied on the surface to be polished.

WALTER GEDUHN. LUDWIG PE'I'RY. 

